Posts Tagged ‘behavior at dog park’

If you decide to visit a dog park, it is important to be able to read the body language of your dog and the other dogs present. The ideal body language is playful, but dogs will exhibit a variety of behaviors as they contact new dogs and spend more time at the park. Overall you are looking for balanced play between dogs – sometimes one is on top and next time he’s on the bottom. Sometimes he’s the chaser, and next he will be the chased.

It’s always wise to leave the park if your pet shows signs of tiredness, stress or fear or if there are dogs present who seem threatening.

Playful actions to watch for:

Back and forth play – dogs change position – role reversals

Bouncy, exaggerated gestures

Wiggly bodies

Open relaxed mouth

Play-bows

Twisted leaps or jumps

Pawing the air

Signs of Anxiety/Stress to Monitor:

Fast wagging low tail

Whining or whimpering

Ears may be back

Hiding behind objects or people

Signs of Fear:

Dog will try to look small

Tail tucked

Hunched over, head down

Tense

May urinate submissively

Red Flags that Require Intervention: PAY ATTENTION!

Leave the dog park, if your dog is:

Excessive mounting

Pinning (holding another dog down and standing stiffly over them)

Shadowing another dog (following) incessantly

Bullying: repeatedly bothering another dog that does not want to interact

Fast non-stop running with a group – high arousal situation

Full-speed body slams

Putting head repeatedly onto another dog’s neck or back

Staring with a fixed gaze directly at another dog

Snarling or raised lips

Showing teeth

Hackles up at the shoulders

Signs of Potential Illness – While not necessarily related to behavior, you will want to remove your dog from a park where dogs are showing the following symptoms: